With today’s economy, people are looking for ways to save money. What if you could save $40-50 a month on your utility bills just by making a few adjustments to your home? For the average American family, heating and cooling typically account for the largest portion of the utility bill. By making a few simple […]
Easy home repairs begin with knowing what’s behind the drywall. Have you ever had a water leak inside a wall and had to pay a plumber $70 an hour to cut numerous holes in the drywall to find the problem? Or, have you ever heard a ticking, sloshing or creaking sound in your ceiling and […]
Cost to Add a New Owner-Built Bathroom
13 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Bath Remodel, Owner-Builder
I’m in the process of converting a closet into a full bathroom for a customer. The question I get on a daily basis about virtually all possible new home projects is… “How much would this cost?” Because remodeling is so dependent on your existing conditions I first like to meet with the mechanical trades to […]
I was talking to a successful owner-builder friend this weekend and asked him if he could give one piece of advice that I could share with new owner-builders. He said the one item that had the biggest impact on his project was getting (or not getting) a minimum of three bids for each activity. In his case, […]
I received a phone call from a customer of mine the other day. He’s been living in the home I built him for a year now. The call was about two screw pops in the ceiling of the kitchen bay window. He hadn’t noticed the two drywall screw heads showing before and was extremely worried […]
When hiring a tile subcontractor, certain items are a must to ensure a quality finished product that will last for years. These are fresh in my mind as I just finished a kitchen renovation. We installed a gorgeous 18″ square limestone with coral. Here is my checklist for a quality installation… Underlayment – Make certain […]
Granite Overhang Limit
5 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Great Products, Kitchen Remodel, Quality Check
We are installing a granite bar top in our new kitchen remodel and the question came up…how far can the granite overhang before it needs support? We have a 2×6 wall below the bar top. The bar top is 18″ wide and we plan on having a 1.5″ overhang on the short side. Attention all […]
What is it with all the Home Building terms?
0 Comments | Posted by armchairbuilder in Build Your Own Home, Owner-Builder
When I started building homes sixteen years ago, I was amazed at all the crazy lingo. From fascias to base plates to frieze boards, it seemed the terms were endless. I think the most difficult thing about learning the building business, or any new topic for that matter, is the long list of terms and […]
Kitchen Remodel Checklist, Part II
1 Comment | Posted by armchairbuilder in Kitchen Remodel, Owner-Builder, Quality Check
In the last post (Kitchen Remodel Checklist, Part I) we talked about all the necessary steps to tackle before you start demolition/construction of your new kitchen remodel. Here we will discuss demolition, construction, scheduling, and how to minimize the affects of construction on the rest of your home. Demolition: Once we have our materials, we […]
Kitchen Remodel Checklist, Part I
1 Comment | Posted by armchairbuilder in Kitchen Remodel, Owner-Builder, Quality Check
I am about to finish up a kitchen remodel in my own home so I thought I would share my checklist with you while it’s fresh on my mind. Anyone can take charge of their own kitchen remodel as an owner-builder. You will just need to be thorough in your planning and follow my checklist […]
